two gals, one world, a million adventures

What makes travel so good for you?

There’s something magical about travelling, doors open, we see with fresh eyes, a kind of alchemy happens; we become immersed in new and interesting experiences and learn about ourselves while understanding others, pushing new boundaries that change who we are. Here are our top 5 reasons we think adventure and travel is such good food for the soul.

1. The world is closer than ever

Travelling needn’t be to far away places or expensive resorts. It certainly doesn’t have to be 5-star, in fact, it’s probably a lot more fun if it’s not. Nothing beats that earthy real feeling of connecting to a place without all the glitter and glam. When we experience a place and its people at the grassroots, it’s far more of an authentic kinship. Don’t look for excuses not to travel, look for opportunities to go! It’s a much smaller and closer world today than even a generation ago, most cities and countries are accessible with ease and frequency and being mobile is a part of the character of how we live. I’m forever grateful for the ease of travelling overseas on an evening flight that allows the comfort to awake in a new part of the world.

2. Happiness is infectious

Travelling makes you happy. Our spirits are as high recalling memories to others after the trip as when we are anticipating the journey. When we travel we smile (most of the time), we open our eyes and open our hearts. We socialise, create relationships, we connect with the people we travel with and those we meet along the way. We try new food, drive on the wrong side of the road, visit places we’ve seen only in our dreams. And it makes our hearts sing!

3. We live, we learn, we love

We learn a little more; we are given a wonderful chance to learn more about the world we live in, how people connect with their culture and how it shapes their communities. We learn about history and art and kings and queens, about food and families, about music, spirituality and social structures. Travelling keeps our minds sharp, it enhances our creativity and cultivates an interest in understanding who we are. We learn mostly how much we still have to learn about the beautiful diversity of life.

4. Travel is a great leveller

Walking in another’s shoes, or at least seeing the lives of others gives us a healthy dose of perspective. Maybe it’s even a chance to count our blessings. The people we meet along the journey all influence us in some way, we expand our awareness and reorganise our thinking. We’d both say that we’ve never travelled without feeling something shift. You gain something from every place you visit and every person you meet and they each leave an enduring trace.

5. The world is a beautiful place

There’s always something wonderful to set your eyes upon. When you’re in the thrum of everyday life, travel breaks the monotony, pulls you out of a rut and gives you wonderful surprises! We all know people who only started travelling later in life, who never boarded a plane until they retired yet the wanderlust strikes them just the same. It’s funny how some countries and cultures tantalise us more than others, in some strange way we are drawn to them and when we visit them we feel a gentle familiarity. The world is full of voices calling us; after all life makes the best stories, answer the call, go!